Multiple drum washing apparatus for vehicles

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a drum washing apparatus for vehicles of the type represented by refuse hauling trucks and provides mechanism for washing a plurality of such drums simultaneously including a swingable bucket pivotally mounted in side arms that are pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the truck body for lifting the bucket containing the drums upwardly over the rear end of the body to dump the drum contents into the body, passing over a flushing trough fixed on top of the body adjacent the rear end thereof as the bucket and drums are moved to the dumping position, and then returns over the fixed trough to a position relative to the trough for flushing the drums by apparatus provided on the trough.

[ May 6,1975

[ MULTIPLE DRUM WASHING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES [76] Inventor: Bruce Harold Pettit, 210 S. Main St., La Rose, 111. 61541 22 Filed: Feb. 19,1974

21 Appl.No.:443,332

[52] US. Cl. 134/115 R; 134/152 [51] Int. Cl B08b 3/02; B08b 9/08 [58] Field of Search... 134/104,107, 115 R, 115 G,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,207,166 9/1965 Wintzer 134/152 X 536,359 12/1955 Italy ..214/302 Primary ExaminerRobert L. Bleutge Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Mann, Brown, McWilliams & Bradway [57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to a drum washing apparatus for vehicles of the type represented by refuse hauling trucks and provides mechanism for washing a plurality of such drums simultaneously including a swingable bucket pivotally mounted in side arms that are pivotally mounted at opposite sides of the truck body for lifting the bucket containing the drums upwardly over the rear end of the body to dump the drum contents into the body, passing over a flushing trough fixed on top of the body adjacent the rear end thereof as the bucket and drums are moved to the dumping position, and then returns over the fixed trough to a position relative to the trough for flushing the drums by apparatus provided on the trough.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEBMAY ems 3881.950

sum 1 or s MULTIPLE DRUM WASHING APPARATUS FOR VEHICLES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Heretofore, drum and barrel washing apparatus for refuse hauling trucks has involved dumping of the drums or barrels and directly washing the containers after they have been emptied. Some such arrangements have included mechanism, for instance, for lifting a refuse bin to an inverted dumping position over an open top truck body and then, immediately after emptying, wash out the bin in this position, dumping these contents also into the truck body. Certain prior disclosures have utilized compressed air for blowing out refuse containers. Some refuse trucks have included drum and barrel cleaning means of one kind or another on the truck, some taking up considerable space, while others have utilized separately hauled trailing type vehicles containing the drum and barrel washing apparatus. Rotary scrub brush installations have been proposed in an effort to get the inside of drums clean after dumping refuse. All such arrangements apparently have had inherent drawbacks which have precluded their universal adoption in this field and it has remained for this invention to provide a multiple drum washing apparatus that overcomes the shortcomings of prior arrangements and offers an acceptable installation to all of the operators in this field.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a multiple drum washing installation for refuse hauling vehicles which affords advantages not had in previous washing mechanisms and which utilizes new and novel features in an apparatus of this kind for accomplishing an efficient operation in the handling of refuse containing drums to be emptied and washed. The present apparatus includes lifting mechanism on the vehicle for raising the drums in a supporting bucket over the top of a truck body for emptying the contents of the drums into the body. The drums are fixedly supported in a lift bucket pivotally mounted in the lifting mechanism which includes a pair of swinging arms pivotally mounted on the respective truck sides. Hydraulic mechanism is provided for actuating the swinging arms, and hydraulic cylinders are mounted on the respective arms for moving the bucket about its pivotal mounting on the arms.

A fixed overhead trough is mounted at the top of the truck body adjacent the rear end thereof, and this trough is equipped with flushing apparatus for washing out the drums carried in the lift bucket and which catches the washed out contents during that operation. The lifting mechanism is actuated hydraulically to lift the bucket and the drums secured therein to the overhead dumping position where the drums are emptied into the open top truck body. During this raising operation the lift bucket passes completely over the fixed flushing trough at the top rear of the truck body, and in order for the bucket to clear the trough during this movement the hydraulic cylinders on the lift arms pivot the bucket with the drums therein to a position where the bucket will not interfere with the trough, and when the bucket and drums reach the dumping position the hydraulic cylinders again actuate the bucket to turn the drums up for emptying. The lift mechanism now returns the bucket and empty drums to a position relative to the trough where the drums are flushed out by the apparatus provided on the trough for that purpose.

On the return movement the bucket and drums again pass over the fixed trough to reach the flushing position, and in order for the bucket to clear the trough during this movement, the hydraulic cylinders again pivot the bucket to the position that avoids any interference with the trough. The fixed trough on top of the truck body catches the contents flushed out of the drums, and when this washing operation has been completed, the bucket containing the drums is lowered for removal of the drums. Suitable means are provided for supplying a washing solution to the flushing apparatus, and means may be provided for heating this solution and maintaining a supply thereof at the proper temperature on the truck, and this solution may be recycled for repeated use through appropriate filtering apparatus for removing solids added during the washing operation.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The invention is related primarily to the field of refuse truck design and operation, particularly in respect to apparatus on such trucks for cleaning drums.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of multiple drum washing apparatus on a refuse hauling vehicle and which includes mechanism for moving the drums to an emptying position and subsequently to a washing position.

An important object of the invention is to provide a multiple drum washing apparatus for an open top refuse truck having an overhead flushing mechanism with lifting mechanism for swinging the drums over the top of the flushing mechanism to a dumping position and then swing the drums back over the flushing mechanism to a position for washing the drums.

Another object of the invention is the provision of multiple drum washing apparatus for an open top refuse truck utilizing a fixed overhead flushing mechanism with lift mechanism that swings a drum containing bucket over the top of the flushing mechanism to a dumping position and returns over the flushing mechanism to a position where the drums are washed and having means to position the bucket to avoid interference with the flushing mechanism both during the movement to dump the drums and the return movement.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and other and more specific objects of the invention are attained by the construction and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein FIG. 1 is a general side elevational view of a refuse hauling vehicle equipped with the drum handling and washing apparatus of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the vehicle and apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the vehicle and apparatus for handling and washing drums;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are side elevational views of the vehicle and apparatus with portions broken away and showing respectively various portions of the drum handling apparatus during operation; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary general perspective view to larger scale illustrating the apparatus in the drum washing position.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings represents a vehicle of the type generally used for hauling refuse and as shown comprises an open top truck body having a floor l1 and side walls 12 and 13. The truck body is supported on wheels 14 for driving the vehicle and steerable wheels 15 under a driven cab 16 which includes an engine providing a source of power on the vehicle. In a vehicle of this type, refuse is loaded into the truck body through the open top side by emptying drums or other containers over the open top area to pile up the refuse on the floor 11 between the several walls of the vehicle including side walls 12 and 13 and the end wall 17 behind the driven cab. Compacting apparatus such as movable rear wall 18 may be utilized if desired to increase the loading capacity of the truck body by condensing the refuse as the load builds up under continued loading. The rear wall panel 18 is shiftable longitudinally of the vehicle in side wall slots 19 as indicated in FIG. 1.

The drum or barrel handling apparatus includes a lifting cradle formed by a pair of longitudinally disposed arms 20 and 21 disposed at respectively opposite sides of the truck body and pivotally mounted on the same axis as at 22. A container or bucket 23 for drums 24, shown in phantom lines, completes the cradle and is pivotally mounted in the arms 20 and 21, as at 25, to be lifted by the actuation of the lifting arms in connection with the dumping of the drum contents into the truck body and the washing thereof afterward.

The lifting arms 20 and 21 are actuated by identical hydraulic cylinders 26 mounted at respectively opposite sides of the trunk body. The hydraulic cylinder 26 is pivotally mounted at respective sides of the truck body, as at 27, and the operating plunger 28 of each cylinder is pivotally connected with the respective arms 20 and 21 by means of a bracket 29 which provides an off-center connection between the cylinders and the lift arms. The cylinders 26 have hydraulic connections 30 and 31 with a suitable source of hydraulic pressure on the truck driven by a power take-off from the truck englue The drum bucket 23 pivotally mounted between the free ends of the lift arms 20 and 21 is also actuated hydraulically for pivotal movement about the mountings by means of cylinders 32 which also are of identical size and capacity and similarly mounted for pivoting the bucket 23 about its pivotal axis. Hydraulic connections 33 operatively connect these cylinders with the source of power driven from the truck engine. The hydraulic cylinders 32 are each pivotally anchored on the respective lift arms 20 and 21 by means of a bracket 34 and the operating plunger 35 of each cylinder is pivotally connected with the bracket 23 at respectively opposite sides thereof through a rigidly mounted bracket 36. Thus, with the hydraulic cylinders 32 functioning in unison the drum bucket 23 may be rotated about the pivotal axis 25 between the several operative positions required in the handling and washing of the drums 24.

The drum bucket 23 is provided with a bottom wall 37, as shown in FIG. 7 and a back wall 38 and opposite side walls 39. A plurality of partition walls 40 equally spaced apart in the bucket 23 divide the bucket into a plurality of compartments each of which is adapted to receive a drum 24 placed there by the attendants operating the refuse truck. The several drums are all retained in the bucket against accidental displacement by means of a chain 41, or the like, which may be removably secured across the drums from one side wall 39 to the other by suitably attaching the opposite ends of the chain to the respective side walls as through the me dium of a reinforcing bracket 42 to which the chain may be releasably secured. When the drum bucket 23 is inverted, as for dumping their contents into the truck body or during the washing operation, the drums 24 are positioned in the bucket and prevented from sliding out by means of fixed brackets 43 rigidly secured on the inside face of the back wall 38. These brackets 43 are positioned on the back wall 38 such as to engage the upper rim of each drum in the respective compartments so that with the chain 41 confining the drums against escape from the compartments they cannot slide out of the compartments endwise.

In this arrangement washing of the drums in the drum bucket 23 takes place at an overhead position with the drum inverted for immediate drainage. This is best illustrated in FIG. 7, but the positioning of the drum bucket in the series of steps in the procedure of loading the drums into the bucket 23 and the raising of the drums in the bucket to the positions where they are inverted for dumping and then moved back to an intermediate position for washing after which the bucket with the clean drums is again lowered to the ground position is best indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4 through 6. The flushing apparatus includes a plurality of spray heads 45, which may be a revolving type if desired and which are mounted on respectively associated standpipes 46 connecting each of the spray heads with a hot water manifold 47 that is connected with a suitable source of hot water on the truck by a vertical pipe 43. This source of hot water may be heated from the exhaust of the truck engine, if desired, or by such other means as may be preferred. Suitable means may be employed to maintain the hot water supply at the temperature desired for washing the drums.

The standpipes 46 are disposed at an upwardly and rearwardly inclined angle corresponding generally to the positioning of the drums 24 as disposed in their inverted position for washing and as best shown in FIG. 7, it will be seen that the position of the drums relative to the spray heads and standpipes is such that the water jets issuing from the spray heads are directed into the respective drains so that the interiors thereof are thoroughly flushed out. The truck body is provided with means at the top of the body to receive the flushed drainage from the drums and to conduct such drainage downwardly of the body into the hot water supply for reheating and recirculation with means for filtering the drainage water in order to remove any foreign matter and prevent contamination of the hot water supply. The water supply means, filtering mechanism and recirculation system do not form any part of the inventive concept and are now shown.

The drainage from the washed drums 24 is collected in a trough 49 extending between the side walls 12 and 13 at the top of the truck body and which is rigidly secured to the respective side walls 12 and 13 for fixed support in the position shown relative to the drum washing standpipes 46 and the inverted position of the bucket 23 at the drum washing position. The trough 49 being fixed occupies permanent relationship with respect to the drum washing equipment and arrangement so that to empty the loaded drums before the washing operation it is necessary for the lifting arms 20 and 21 to lift the drum bucket 23 over the trough and washing equipment to reach the dumping position where the drum contents are emptied into the truck body.

As best illustrated in the sequence represented in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, the drum bucket 23 carrying the loaded drums 24 is lifted from the round position illustrated in FIG. 1, where the drums are placed in the bucket and secured, and swung directly to the dumping position. However, during the initial movement through the are described by the bucket on the pivoted lifting arms, the bucket 23 must be disposed in the position illustrated in FIG. 4 as controlled by the hydraulic cylinders 32. In this position the drum bucket 23 is disposed to clear the trough 49 and standpipes 46 during the swinging movement thereof to the dumping location indicated in FIG. 5 where the drum bucket as actuated by the cylinders 32 is pivoted about the axis 25 in the lift arms to invert the bucket 23 and the drums 24 to dump the contents into the truck body. This pivotal movement of the bucket and drums at this point can be by a snap action to insure complete emptying of the drains. This snap action can be repeated as necessary under the control of an operator on the ground.

After the drums 24 are emptied at the position illustrated in FIG. 5, the bucket 23 must again be actuated by the hydraulic cylinders 32 to pivot the bucket about the axis 35 to the relative position shown in FIG. 4 before the bucket is returned over the trough 49 and drain washing apparatus in order for the bucket to clear this apparatus during the return movement. The bucket during this return movement is moved past the trough 49 and washing apparatus and then is again actuated by the hydraulic cylinders 32 to position the bucket and drums in the position illustrated in FIG. 6 where the drums are disposed relative to the spray heads 45 for direct washing action by the jets of water or washing solution propelled into the drums from the aligned standpipes 46. The actuation of the washing jets also is controlled by an operator from a ground position to turn the circulation of water on and off as needed. Suitable controls are provided on the truck operable from a ground position for regulating the operation of the water circulation system and for actuating the hydraulic cylinders 26 and 32 to control the operations of lift arms and 21 in the elevation of bucket 23 and to regulate the manipulation of the bucket with respect to the positions thereof illustrated in FIGS. 1, 4, 5 and 6.

When the washing of the drums 24 has been completed in the inverted position thereof over the trough 49, as shown in FIG. 6, the bucket 23 with the cleaned drums can again be lowered to the ground positions shown in FIG. 1. During this operation it is again necessary to manipulate the position of the bucket by means of the hydraulic cylinders 32 to rotate the bucket with the contained drums about the pivotal axis 25 so that they will be disposed in the vertical position at ground level as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. At this time the chain 41 can be released and the drums removed from the bucket. The vehicle is then free to move to the next location and proceed with the repetition of this same cycle of operation starting with the loading of refuse laden drums into the bucket 23. During these movements of the vehicle traveling from one location to the next, the bucket 23 can be elevated above the ground level or roadway to a position somewhere behind the rear end of the truck body so that the bucket will not drag or engage any obstacle that might be encountered in the roadway.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a refuse drum emptying and washing system and apparatus for refuse hauling trucks wherein the laden drums are loaded into a lift bucket for swinging movements over the washing apparatus mounted adjacent the top of the truck body to a dumping position, then swung over the apparatus back to a washing position and then lowered to a ground level unloading position with the bucket and contained drums being manipulated in the lifting apparatus during these operations to position the drum bucket to clear the washing apparatus both in the raising movement and the return movement and at the dumping operation as well as at the approach to the lowered ground level positions.

What is claimed is:

l. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles including a truck having an open top body for top loading of refuse therein defined by vertically disposed spaced side walls connected at the front by an end wall and having a floor, an upwardly open overhead trough extending between and mounted on said side walls at the top of the truck body adjacent the rear of the body, flushing apparatus on said trough including a plurality of nozzles directed upwardly at a rearward angle from the trough, lift mechanism at the rear of the truck body having a bucket for supporting a plurality of drums, said bucket being pivotally mounted in a pair of lift arms disposed at respectively opposite sides thereof, said lift arms being pivotally mounted at respectively opposite side walls of the truck body and having hydraulic mechanism for swinging said arms to raise and lower said bucket, a hydraulic cylinder on each lift arm connected to said bucket for pivoting the bucket in the lift arms, said lift arms being movable to a position to dump the contents of said drums into said body and to a second position relative to said trough and flushing nozzles for washing the drums, said hydraulic cylinders pivoting said bucket to dump said drums in the firstnamed position and pivoting the bucket in said second position to align the drums with said angle of said flushing nozzles for drum washing, and means to retain said drums in said bucket.

2. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 1 wherein said truck body has a compartment adjacent the rear of the body defined by at least one substantially full height wall extending between said side walls, said overhead trough being mounted over said compartment, and said full height wall being adjustable rearwardly of said body below said trough.

3. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bucket is provided with a compartment for each of said drums, said drums being flushed simultaneously by said flushing apparatus and all of the drums draining into said overhead trough, and means for draining said trough.

4. A drum washing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein a flushing nozzle is provided on said trough for each of said drums and all of said nozzles are supplied with a flushing solution from a source common to all of the nozzles.

5. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 4 wherein said bucket containing said drums passes over said trough to said first-named position to dump the drums and then returns over the trough to said second position for flushing the drums.

6. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim wherein said hydraulic cylinders on the lift arms position said bucket to clear said trough during movement thereof to dump said drums and then positions the bucket to clear the trough on its return there- 5 ground level.

over to said second position. 

1. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles including a truck having an open top body for top loading of refuse therein defined by vertically disposed spaced side walls connected at the front by an end wall and having a floor, an upwardly open overhead trough extending between and mounted on said side walls at the top of the truck body adjacent the rear of the body, flushing apparatus on said trough including a plurality of nozzles directed upwardly at a rearward angle from the trough, lift mechanism at the rear of the truck body having a bucket for supporting a plurality of drums, said bucket being pivotally mounted in a pair of lift arms disposed at respectively opposite sides thereof, said lift arms being pivotally mounted at respectively opposite side walls of the truck body and having hydraulic mechanism for swinging said arms to raise and lower said bucket, a hydraulic cylinder on each lift arm connected to said bucket for pivoting the bucket in the lift arms, said lift arms being movable to a position to dump the contents of said drums into said body and to a second position relative to said trough and flushing nozzles for washing the drums, said hydraulic cylinders pivoting said bucket to dump said drums in the firstnamed position and pivoting the bucket in said second position to align the drums with said angle of said flushing nozzles for drum washing, and means to retain said drums in said bucket.
 2. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 1 wherein said truck body has a compartment adjacent the rear of the body defined by at least one substantially full height wall extending between said side walls, said overhead trough being mounted over said compartment, and said full height wall being adjustable rearwardly of said body below said trough.
 3. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 1 wherein said bucket is provided with a compartment for each of said drums, said drums being flushed simultaneously by said flushing apparatus and all of the drums draining into said overhead trough, and means for draining said trough.
 4. A drum washing apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein a flushing nozzle is provided on said trough for each of said drums and all of said nozzles are supplied with a flushing solution from a source common to all of the nozzles.
 5. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 4 wherein said bucket containing said drums passes over said trough to said first-named position to dump the drums and then returns over the trough to said second position for flushing the drums.
 6. A drum washing apparatus for vehicles as set forth in claim 5 wherein said hydraulic cylinders on the lift arms position said bucket to clear said trough during movement thereof to dump said drums and then positions the bucket to clear the trough on its return thereover to said second position.
 7. A drum washing apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said hydraulic mechanism, said hydraulic cylinders and said flushing apparatus may be operated and controlled by means provided for actuation from ground level. 